1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cyber-space system for generating a virtual reality space for example and providing the same to users.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 41 is a block diagram showing an exemplary completion of a conventional cyber-space system according to the prior art. A server 301 is equipped with a memory device 302 and supplies picture data, which are stored in the memory device 302, to each of the user terminals 303 via a public telephone network 304.
A user at each of the user terminals 303 selects one of hundreds of kinds of characters prepared previously in the memory device 302 and designates the same as a character of his own. The user moves the designated character in a virtual reality space provided by the server 301, thereby enjoying a life in a virtual reality space.
One user terminal 303, for example, accesses the server 301 via an ordinary public telephone network 304 to receive a picture of the virtual reality space. When a predetermined manipulation is performed in the user terminal 303 to command a motion of his own character (e.g., character X) in a desired direction, a picture corresponding to the direction of such motion is provided by the server 301, whereby the user terminal 303 is enabled to enjoy the action while moving the character X in a town provided in the virtual reality space.
Via another user terminal 303, it is possible, as above, for another user to designate his own character (e.g., character Y) and to move the same in the virtual reality space.
When the character X of the user terminal 303a and character Y of the second user terminal 303b have been moved to mutually adjacent positions in the virtual reality space, a picture of the character Y moving in the town is also provided, in addition to the town picture which serves as a background, in the entire picture of the virtual reality space supplied from the server 301 to the user terminal 303a. Consequently, the picture shown in FIG. 42 for example is displayed on the screen of the user terminal 303, wherein the character X of the user terminal 303 is disposed at the center, and character Y of the other user terminal 303a is positioned in the vicinity thereof.
Similarly, a picture shown in FIG. 43 is provided to the other user terminal 303b. In this diagram, character Y of his own is disposed at the center of the screen, and character X of the user terminal 303a is disposed in the vicinity thereof.
In this state, where character other than his own is displayed on the screen, it is possible for character X to have a conversation by means of a character message to character Y (or from character Y).
More specifically, when a predetermined character message is inputted by manipulating a keyboard of the user terminal 303a, the character message data is supplied therefrom via the public telephone network 304 to the server 301, which then supplies the received character message data via the public telephone network 304 to the other user terminal 303b. Similarly, when a predetermined character message is inputted by manipulating a keyboard of the other user terminal 303b, the character message data is supplied therefrom via the public telephone network 304 to the server 301, which then supplies the received character message data via the public telephone network 304 to the user terminal 303a. In this manner, one user terminal 303 and the other user terminal 303b can converse with each other by means of the character message.
In the virtual reality space, a virtual reality currency is prepared to be used within this space, so that each character can purchase any virtual reality commodity by the use of such currency.
In this manner, the conventional system known heretofore is so contrived as to enable each character to enjoy living in the virtual reality space as a kind of game. However, it is nothing but a game after all and holds substantially no connection with real life. Thus, interest therein is soon lost.
In addition, a method of billing users is based on adding a charge, which corresponds to the time of connection use to a basic charge, so that it is difficult to give an added value to the virtual reality space.
Since only one user interface is prepared in the conventional system known heretofore, there arises a problem in that a high-function user terminal and a low-function user terminal can only enjoy functions they have in common. more specifically, in such a system, a user terminal having a high-level of functions is disabled to utilize nothing better than the user interface adequate for a user terminal having only a low-level of functions.
Further in the conventional system, when the software prepared in the center comprises an information object for providing information and a user object corresponding to each user terminal, it is customary that the user interface is installed separately for the information object and the user object. Consequently, when accessing the system which provides different kinds of information, it becomes necessary to not only switch the portion installed in the information object, but also the portion installed in the user object, whereby some difficulty is unavoidable in dynamically switching the user interface.